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Save The Planet Hug A Clam
It has become obvious to all but the most unrelentingly stubborn apologists for the oil industry that we now stand at a pivotal moment in the history of our planet. As much fun as it would be to make fun of Al Gore's pretentious drawl and expanding bald spot, none of us can afford to ignore his clarion call for global change. With humankind's carbon footprint leaving a catastrophic impact upon Mother Earth, it is the sacred responsibility of every citizen to make a change for the better. We can all agree on that much, but the next question is a lot thornier: How exactly do you start?
As in so many vital areas of life, when confronted by a monumental task it is beneficial to start with something small. In other words, begin by taking a "micro" view of your "macro" problem. Numerous studies have indicated that the more we are taught to respect and even love the tiniest creatures, the deeper connection we will feel to the planet at large. So if you're looking to address climate change in your own way, you might want to start by picking up a copy of Fables From the Mud by Erik Quisling. This book, simple in structure yet profound in implication, illuminates the plight of Earth's smallest inhabitants in a style that will make you laugh even as your empathy expands.
The first thing you are apt to notice about Fables is the fluid interchange between illustrations and text. This book has been designed with such a graceful simplicity that you could easily read it cover to cover in a single sitting. Indeed, once you've gotten a sense of its sharp humor and cerebral charms, you may be tempted to consume the whole thing while in the middle of a crowded book store.
Try to avoid this temptation, as you will find Fables to be a veritable banquet of philosophical speculation and belly laughs. How in God's name, you may be wondering, can one book offer such seemingly incongruous rewards? The answer to that question is the secret of Quisling's triumph. He has crafted three distinct but thematically connected tales,focusing on some of the Earth's least respected inhabitants: a clam, an ant, and an earthworm. Against all expectation, Quisling turns these lowly invertebrates into heroes of truly epic scale.
By infusing so much ambiguous life and recognizably human foibles into its three-pack of protagonists, Fables allows readers to understand these creatures as reflections of ourselves. Laughable as the clam's frustration with the emptiness of his existence might seem, is our own periodic despair any less ridiculous? It all comes down to a matter of perspective, which seems to be one of Quisling's primary lessons.
After reading this timeless book, you may find yourself thinking twice before stepping on the next ant you see crossing the sidewalk. He's a guest on this ailing planet, just like you. And for all you know, he might be in the middle of an heroic struggle worthy of mention in a book Fables From the Mud.
BONUS : Scams, Schemes, And Shams: Who Can An Author Trust?
Authors in their quest to get published can fall victim to scams. Here's a few tips to help you avoid the traps.
Online Matching Services and Email Blast Programs
These services, for a fee, put your query letter, synopsis and first chapter online. Acquisition editors and literary agents then have the opportunity to peruse the offerings. You have to ask yourself if you truly believe that the average literary agent, who receives 1100 unsolicited queries a year, has the time to look at these websites.
The reverse, or maybe itÂ’s the inverse, are services that have databases of agents and publishers. You specify the genre of your book and up pops agents/publishers who have said they are interested in your genre. Sometimes the agents/publishers have provided their acquisition specs and sometimes the owner of the database has just input the information from other sources.
Finally there are services who will email blast your query letter to agents/publishers. If the participants have agreed to receive the query letters there is a higher probability you will be successful. But, again you have to wonder, with all the unpublished manuscripts out there looking for a publishing home, why would an agent/publisher feel it necessary to sign up for these types of services.
Book DoctorsÂ…but are they quacks?
The beginning author wonders: 1) Do I really have talent? 2) Is my book ready to be marketed, or does it need additional work?
One option is to hire an editing service, sometimes called a book doctor. This is not simply a copy editor who checks for grammar, sentence structure, and spelling. A book doctor looks at the plot, characters, dialogue, continuity and flow.
It almost seems like more people making a living selling editing services—book doctors, script doctors—than writers earning a living. In screenwriting, it has become an epidemic. Producers who run out of money have even taken up the script doctoring profession to pay the rent while they are “between films.”
Asking another person to re-write your work is problematic. Who knows your story better than you do? It is extremely difficult to evaluate how talented these editors are, to determine if they are really going to improve your work.
Fees for these services can range from several hundred dollars to five or ten thousand dollars.
Remember that all manuscripts need editing. And that one of the publisherÂ’s jobs is to work with the writer on getting the manuscript ready to publish.
Another option is a critique service; this is usually less expensive. They provide a report of their view of what is good and bad about the work, and perhaps its market potential. They are, at best, just one personÂ’s opinion. If the critique service isnÂ’t a publisher, how do they know what will sell and what wonÂ’t.
Marketing Services
There are many companies who provide legitimate services to authors in marketing and promoting their titles. Just because a company requires a fee doesnÂ’t mean itÂ’s a scam.
Having said that, if your book is not offered with industry standard terms, bookstores are highly unlikely to stock it, no matter what the marketing efforts are. Your book must be returnable to the publisher through the major wholesalers. It must be offered with 90 days for payment. It must be offered with at least a 40% discount from the retail price. These terms must be offered from the publisher not the author – unless of course the author is the publisher. Keep in mind that the author must own the ISBN, International Standard Book Number to be considered the publisher.
When a marketing company is unconcerned that the terms are not industry standard you should be concerned.
Authors in their quest to get published can fall victim to scams. Here's a few tips to help you avoid the traps.
Online Matching Services and Email Blast Programs
These services, for a fee, put your query letter, synopsis and first chapter online. Acquisition editors and literary agents then have the opportunity to peruse the offerings. You have to ask yourself if you truly believe that the average literary agent, who receives 1100 unsolicited queries a year, has the time to look at these websites.
The reverse, or maybe itÂ’s the inverse, are services that have databases of agents and publishers. You specify the genre of your book and up pops agents/publishers who have said they are interested in your genre. Sometimes the agents/publishers have provided their acquisition specs and sometimes the owner of the database has just input the information from other sources.
Finally there are services who will email blast your query letter to agents/publishers. If the participants have agreed to receive the query letters there is a higher probability you will be successful. But, again you have to wonder, with all the unpublished manuscripts out there looking for a publishing home, why would an agent/publisher feel it necessary to sign up for these types of services.
Book DoctorsÂ…but are they quacks?
The beginning author wonders: 1) Do I really have talent? 2) Is my book ready to be marketed, or does it need additional work?
One option is to hire an editing service, sometimes called a book doctor. This is not simply a copy editor who checks for grammar, sentence structure, and spelling. A book doctor looks at the plot, characters, dialogue, continuity and flow.
It almost seems like more people making a living selling editing services—book doctors, script doctors—than writers earning a living. In screenwriting, it has become an epidemic. Producers who run out of money have even taken up the script doctoring profession to pay the rent while they are “between films.”
Asking another person to re-write your work is problematic. Who knows your story better than you do? It is extremely difficult to evaluate how talented these editors are, to determine if they are really going to improve your work.
Fees for these services can range from several hundred dollars to five or ten thousand dollars.
Remember that all manuscripts need editing. And that one of the publisherÂ’s jobs is to work with the writer on getting the manuscript ready to publish.
Another option is a critique service; this is usually less expensive. They provide a report of their view of what is good and bad about the work, and perhaps its market potential. They are, at best, just one personÂ’s opinion. If the critique service isnÂ’t a publisher, how do they know what will sell and what wonÂ’t.
Marketing Services
There are many companies who provide legitimate services to authors in marketing and promoting their titles. Just because a company requires a fee doesnÂ’t mean itÂ’s a scam.
Having said that, if your book is not offered with industry standard terms, bookstores are highly unlikely to stock it, no matter what the marketing efforts are. Your book must be returnable to the publisher through the major wholesalers. It must be offered with 90 days for payment. It must be offered with at least a 40% discount from the retail price. These terms must be offered from the publisher not the author – unless of course the author is the publisher. Keep in mind that the author must own the ISBN, International Standard Book Number to be considered the publisher.
When a marketing company is unconcerned that the terms are not industry standard you should be concerned.
